Simultaneous stent implantation for pulmonary artery bifurcation stenosis in infants.

OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary artery (PA) bifurcation stenosis often requires simultaneous stent placement, which may be technically challenging. Limited data exist regarding this practice in infants. We aim to report the procedural outcomes and safety of bifurcation stent placement in infants. METHODS: We performed a single-center retrospective review of infants younger than 12 months who underwent simultaneous stent placement for PA bifurcation stenosis from January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2019. RESULTS: Seventeen infants underwent simultaneous PA bifurcation stent placement. The median age was 6.4 months (1.1-10.1 months), and weight was 5.8 kg (3-10.6 kg). Nine (52.9%) patients had had prior PA intervention. Most stents were placed in central PAs (28, 82.4%), followed by lobar branches (6, 17.6%). All patients received pre-mounted stents. The peak gradient across each branch decreased from 47.4 ± 16 to 18.7 ± 13 mm Hg (P less than .0001). The right ventricle to systemic systolic pressure ratio decreased from systemic (1.0 ± 0.3) to just over half systemic (0.58 ± 0.2) (P = .0001). The minimum vessel diameter increased from 3.6 ± 1.5 to 6.0 ± 1.9 mm (P less than .0001). There were 4 (23.5%) patients with high severity adverse events. There were no procedure-related deaths. The median follow-up period was 83.8 months (5.3 months-19.4 years). All patients had subsequent PA re-intervention at a median time of 8.1 months (2.9 months-8.8 years), and median time to re-operation was 19.1 months (2.9 months-7.5 years). CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous PA stent placement is an effective strategy for relief of bifurcation stenosis in infants. Future transcatheter interventions are necessary to account for patient growth, but may delay the need for re-operation.

Single-Atom Substituents in Copper Surfaces May Adsorb Multiple CO Molecules.

Copper is a good CO2 electroreduction catalyst as products beyond CO form, but efficiency and selectivity is low. Experiments have shown that an admixture of other elements can help, and computational screening studies have pointed out various promising candidates based on the adsorption of a single CO molecule as a descriptor. Our calculations of CO adsorption on surfaces where a first row transition metal atom replaces a Cu atom show that multiple CO molecules, not just one, bind to the substitutional atom. For Fe, Co, and Ni atoms, a decrease in binding energy is found, but the reverse trend, namely, increasing bond strength, is found for V, Cr, and Mn and the first three CO molecules. Magnetic moment, charge, and position of the substitutional atom are also strongly affected by the CO adsorption in most cases. Magnetic moment is stepwise reduced to zero, and the outward displacement of the substitutional atom increased.

Evidence of Sharp Transitions between Octahedral and Capped Trigonal Prism States of the Solvation Shell of the Aqueous Fe3+ Ion.

The structure of the solvation shell of the aqueous Fe3+ ion has been a subject of controversy due to discrepancies between experiments and different levels of theory. We address this issue by performing simulations for a wide range of ion concentrations, using various potential energy functions, supplemented by density functional theory calculations of selected configurations. The solvation shell undergoes abrupt transitions between two states: a hexacoordinated octahedral (OH) state and a capped trigonal prism (CTP) state with 7-fold coordination. The lifetime of these states is dependent on concentration. In dilute FeCl3 solutions, the lifetimes of both are similar (≈1 ns). However, the lifetime of the OH state increases with ion concentration, while that of the CTP state decreases slightly. When a uniform negative background charge is used instead of explicit counterions, the lifetime of the OH state is greatly overestimated. These findings underscore the need for further experimental measurements and higher-level simulations.

Strategies for the Surgical Management of Highly Aggressive Williams Syndrome Aortopathy: A Three Case Report.

Severe aortopathy in Williams syndrome can sometimes present with an initial ascending aortic pathology, followed in short order by more distal multilevel obstruction and recurrence requiring reintervention. In this series, an early, comprehensive surgical approach using a combination of various access and perfusion strategies yielded excellent long-term results.

Outcomes and Risk Factors of Interventions for Pediatric Post-operative Pulmonary Vein Stenosis.

Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) in children is a challenging condition with poor outcomes. Post-operative stenosis can occur after repair of anomalous pulmonary venous return (APVR) or stenosis within native veins. There is limited data on the outcomes of post-operative PVS. Our objective was to review our experience and assess surgical and transcatheter outcomes. Single-center retrospective study was performed including patients < 18 years who developed restenosis after baseline pulmonary vein surgery that required additional intervention(s) from 1/2005 to 1/2020. Non-invasive imaging, catheterization and surgical data were reviewed. We identified 46 patients with post-operative PVS with 11 (23.9%) patient deaths. Median age at index procedure was 7.2 months (range 1 month-10 years), and median follow-up was 10.8 months (range 1 day-13 years). Index procedure was surgical in 36 (78.3%) and transcatheter in 10 (21.7%). Twenty-three (50%) patients developed vein atresia. Mortality was not associated with number of affected veins, vein atresia, or procedure type. Single ventricle physiology, complex congenital heart disease (CCHD), and genetic disorders were associated with mortality. Survival rate was higher in APVR patients (p = 0.03). Patients with three or more interventions had a higher survival rate compared to patients with 1-2 interventions (p = 0.02). Male gender, necrotizing enterocolitis, and diffuse hypoplasia were associated with vein atresia. In post-operative PVS, mortality is associated with CCHD, single ventricle physiology, and genetic disorders. Vein atresia is associated with male gender, necrotizing enterocolitis, and diffuse hypoplasia. Multiple repeated interventions may offer a patient survival benefit; however, larger prospective studies are necessary to elucidate this relationship further.

Metastatic clear-cell renal carcinoma: an exceptional cause of ileocolonic intussusception in adults

Introduction: Intussusceptions in adults are rare, representing 1% to 5% of intestinal obstructions in this age group. This condition can be caused by benign and malignant lesions acting as lead points, the latter being the most frequent. Furthermore, the diagnosis is challenging due to the non-specific symptoms with variable duration. Case Presentation: A 43-year-old man, with a history of localized clear-cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) treated 9 years earlier with a right radical nephrectomy, presented with bowel obstruction symptoms. An abdominal computed tomography scan showed an ileocolonic intussusception. Hence, the patient required a right hemicolectomy with ileotransverse anastomosis. The histopathological analysis showed a metastatic ccRC to the terminal ileum causing the intussusception. Discussion: Adult intussusceptions are rare. However, they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with abdominal pain and symptoms of bowel obstruction. Metastases of renal cancer to the small bowel are uncommon and even more so in the form of intussusception. Definitive treatment must be tailored to the patient's condition and underlying cause. (AU)

Pre- and Post-Zygotic Barriers Contribute to Reproductive Isolation and Correlate with Genetic Distance in Cucumis.

Hybridization between Cucumis species, including cultivated melon (C. melo), is hampered by Interspecific Reproductive Barriers (IRBs). However, the nature of IRBs in Cucumis is largely unknown. This study explores locations, timing, and contribution to reproductive isolation (RI) of pre- and post-zygotic IRBs in Cucumis. To do this, we assessed crossability among Cucumis African wild species and C. melo at the pre-zygotic level by visualizing pollen tubes under fluorescence microscopy and, post-zygotically, by evaluating fruit/seed set and F1 hybrid fertility. Genetic distances among Cucumis species were inferred from Genotyping-by-Sequencing, and its correlation with RI stages was analyzed. Observed pre- and post-zygotic IRBs included pollen tube arrest, fruit set failure, and hybrid male sterility. Unilateral cross-incongruity/incompatibility (UCI) was detected in some hybridizations, and dominant gene action is suggested for pistil-side UCI in interspecific F1 hybrids. Notably, the allotetraploid C. ficifolius was very fertile as a seed parent but infertile in all reciprocal crosses. Contribution to RI was found significant for both pre- and post-zygotic IRBs. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was detected between genetic distance and pre- and post-zygotic RI stages. Interestingly, UCI offers an accessible system to dissect the genetics of IRBs in Cucumis, which may facilitate the use of wild relatives in breeding.

Heteropolymetallic [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Mimics: Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties.

The synthesis and electrochemical properties of tetranuclear [Fe2S2]-hydrogenase mimic species containing Pt(II), Ni(II), and Ru(II) complexes have been studied. To this end, a new tetranuclear [Fe2S2] complex containing a 5,5'-diisocyanide-2,2'-bipyridine bridging ligand has been designed and coordinated to the metal complexes through the bipyridine moiety. Thus, the tetranuclear [Fe2S2] complex (6) coordinates to Pt(II), Ni(II) and Ru(II) yielding the corresponding metal complexes. The new metal center in the bipyridine linker modulates the electronic communication between the redox-active [Fe2S2] units. Thus, electrochemical studies and DFT calculations have shown that the presence of metal complexes in the structure strongly affect the electronic communication between the [Fe2S2] centers. In the case of diphosphine platinum compounds 10, the structure of the phosphine ligand plays a crucial role to facilitate or to hinder the electronic communication between [Fe2S2] moieties. Compound 10a, bearing a dppe ligand, shows weak electronic communication (ΔE = 170 mV), whereas the interaction is much weaker in the Pt-dppp derivative 10b (ΔE = 80 mV) and virtually negligible in the Pt-dppf complex 10c. The electronic communication is facilitated by incorporation of a Ru-bis(bipyridine) complex, as observed in the BF4 salt 12 (ΔE = 210 mV) although the reduction of the [FeFe] centers occurs at more negative potentials. Overall, the experimental-computational procedure used in this work allows us to study the electronic interaction between the redox-active centers, which, in turn, can be modulated by a transition metal.

Congenital Pulmonic Valve Dysfunction Treated With SAPIEN 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve (from the COMPASSION S3 Trial).

Significant pulmonary regurgitation (PR) and pulmonary stenosis are common after surgical repair of some congenital heart defects. This prospective, single-arm, multicenter trial enrolled patients who underwent transcatheter heart valve (THV) implantation with a SAPIEN 3 valve to treat dysfunctional right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) conduits or pulmonic surgical valves (≥ moderate PR and/or mean RVOT gradient ≥35 mm Hg). The primary end point was a nonhierarchical composite of THV dysfunction at 1 year comprising RVOT reintervention, ≥ moderate total PR, and mean RVOT gradient >40 mm Hg. A performance goal of <25% of upper confidence interval (CI) was prespecified for the primary end point, using a 95% exact binomial CI. Patients (n = 58) were enrolled between July 5, 2016 and July 17, 2018, with mean age of 32 years. Prestenting was performed in 53.4%. At discharge, the device success was 98.1% (single valve without explant, < moderate PR, gradient <35 mm Hg). At 30 days, there were no major adjudicated adverse clinical events. At 1 year, the primary end point composite was 4.3% (95% CI 0.5 to 14.5). The composite components were 0% (0 of 56) RVOT reintervention, 2.1% (1 of 47) ≥ moderate PR, and 2.1% (1 of 48) mean RVOT gradient >40 mm Hg. No mortality, endocarditis, thrombosis, or stent fracture were reported at 1 year. In conclusion, the SAPIEN 3 THV was safe and effective in patients with dysfunctional RVOT conduits or previously implanted valves in the pulmonic position to 1 year. Clinical trial registration: NCT02744677; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02744677.

Outcomes after neonatal cardiac surgery: The impact of a dedicated neonatal cardiac program.

OBJECTIVES: Prematurity is a risk factor for in-hospital mortality after cardiac surgery. The structure of intensive care unit models designed to deliver optimal care to neonates including those born preterm with critical congenital heart disease is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate in-hospital outcomes after cardiac surgery across gestational ages in an institution with a dedicated neonatal cardiac program. METHODS: This study is a single-center, retrospective review of infants who underwent cardiac surgical interventions from our dedicated neonatal cardiac intensive care program between 2006 and 2017. We evaluated in-hospital mortality and morbidity rates across all gestational ages. RESULTS: A total of 1238 subjects met inclusion criteria over a 11-year period. Overall in-hospital mortality after cardiac surgery was 6.1%. The mortality rate in very preterm infants (n = 68; <34 weeks' gestation at birth) was 17.6% (odds ratio, 3.52 [1.4-8.53]), versus 4.3% in full-term (n = 563; 39-40 weeks) referent/control infants. Very preterm infants with isolated congenital heart disease (without evidence of other affected organ systems) experienced a mortality rate of 10.5% after cardiac surgery. Neither the late preterm (34-36 6/7 weeks) nor the early term (37-38 6/7) groups had significantly increased odds of mortality compared with full-term infants. Seventy-eight percent of very preterm infants incurred a preoperative or postoperative complication (odds ratio, 4.78 [2.61-8.97]) compared with 35% of full-term infants. CONCLUSIONS: In this study of a single center with a dedicated neonatal cardiac program, we report some of the lowest mortality and morbidity rates after cardiac surgery in preterm infants in the recent era. The potential survival advantage of this model is most striking for very preterm infants born with isolated congenital heart disease.

HLA-BAT1 alters migration, invasion and pro-inflammatory cytokines in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) accounts for more than 1 in 5 diagnoses and is the second cause of cancer-related deaths in men. Although PCa may be successfully treated, patients may undergo cancer recurrence and there is a need for new biomarkers to improve the prediction of prostate cancer recurrence and improve treatment. Our laboratory demonstrated that HLA-B-associated transcript 1 (BAT1) was differentially expressed in patients with high Gleason scores when compared to low Gleason scores. BAT1 is an anti-inflammatory gene but its role in PCa has not been identified. The objective of this study is to understand the role of BAT1 in prostate cancer. In vitro studies showed that BAT1 down-regulation increased cell migration and invasion. In contrast, BAT1 overexpression decreased cell migration and invasion. RT-PCR analysis showed differential expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) and cell adhesion and migration genes (MMP10, MMP13, and TIMPs) in BAT1 overexpressed cells when compared to BAT1 siRNA cells. Our in vivo studies demonstrated up-regulation of TNF-α, IL-6, and MMP10 in tumors developed from transfected BAT1 shRNA cells when compared to tumors developed from BAT1 cDNA cells. These findings indicate that BAT1 down-regulation modulates TNF-α and IL-6 expression which may lead to the secretion of MMP-10 and inhibition of TIMP2.

Evaluating Paenibacillus odorifer for its potential to reduce shelf life in reworked high-temperature, short-time fluid milk products.

Rework is a common practice used in the dairy industry as a strategy to help minimize waste from processing steps or errors that might otherwise render the product unsaleable. Dairy processors may rework their high-temperature, short-time (HTST) fluid milk products up to code date (21 d) at a typical dilution rate of ≤20% rework into ≥80% fresh raw milk. Bacterial spores present in raw milk that can survive pasteurization and grow at refrigeration temperatures are often responsible for milk spoilage. However, the potential impact of growth and thermal resistance of organisms in reworked product has not been investigated. Our objective was to characterize growth, sporulation, and thermal resistance of Paenibacillus odorifer under conditions representative of extreme storage conditions (time and temperature) of reduced fat (2%) and chocolate milk to evaluate whether product containing rework would have a reduced shelf life. Commercial UHT-pasteurized 2% milk and chocolate milk were independently inoculated with 4 strains of P. odorifer at 1 to 2 log cfu/mL and stored at 4°C and 7°C for 30 d. Changes in P. odorifer cell densities were determined by standard serial dilution with spread plating on tryptic soy agar with yeast extract and incubation at 25°C for 48 h. Spore counts were determined following thermal treatment at 80°C for 12 min. Thermal resistance of a cocktail of P. odorifer in milk was determined after treatments at 63°C for 30 min and 72°C for 15 s. Strains of P. odorifer grew rapidly at 7°C and reached a maximum cell density of ~8 log cfu/g in both 2% and chocolate milk within 12 d. All strains grew more slowly at 4°C and had not reached maximum cell density by 21 d. With extreme temperature abuse (25°C, 24 h), P. odorifer will sporulate in milk; however, thermally resistant subpopulations, including spores, did not develop in milk at 4°C until after stationary phase was achieved (>24 d). Vegetative cells of P. odorifer were verified to be sensitive to pasteurization (>7 log reduction); therefore, P. odorifer would not be expected to contribute to reduced shelf life of fluid milk products containing rework, even with extended storage before rework.

Manejo anestésico de una gestante con síndrome de Morquio / Anesthetic Management for a pregnant woman with Morquio syndrome Sobre los autores:

Introducción: El síndrome de Morquio es una enfermedad hereditaria autosómica recesiva con distintos grados de afectación al metabolismo de los glúcidos, lo que genera incapacidad para romper los enlaces de las cadenas largas de glucosamiglicanos, esto provoca acumulación de mucopolisacáridos en distintos tejidos del cuerpo humano. Objetivo: Describir el manejo anestésico de una gestante con síndrome de Morquio. Presentación del caso: Gestante primigesta de 30 años de edad, de raza negra, de 103 cm de estatura y 33 Kg de peso. Acude a consulta preoperatoria por presentar embarazo a término, baja talla y se realizó interrupción del embarazo por vía alta. Se procede a la valoración preanestésica donde se recoge antecedentes de enfermedad genética e ingreso previo por presentar cifras elevadas de tensión arterial. La paciente padecía de alergia a la dipirona. Conclusiones: Los pacientes con mucopolisacaridosis tienen una alta incidencia de dificultad para la ventilación y la intubación endotraqueal asociada con insuficiencia cardiopulmonar. La afectación de la columna presenta dificultades adicionales para los anestesiólogos. Cualquier cirugía electiva requiere una evaluación preoperatoria de los factores de riesgo anestesiológicos y la disponibilidad de un espectro de equipos para el manejo de las vías respiratorias. La anestesia debe ser realizada por un equipo con experiencia en el manejo de la vía aérea(AU)

Introduction: Morquio syndrome is an autosomal recessive hereditary disease that affects, to different extents, carbohydrate metabolism, which obstructs the ability to break bonds of long chains of glycosaminoglycans, causing mucopolysaccharides accumulation in different tissues of the human body. Objective: To describe the anesthetic management of a pregnant woman with Morquio syndrome. Case presentation: This is the case of a 30-year-old primigravid pregnant woman, of black skin, 103 cm of height and 33 kg of weight. She came for preoperative consultation because she was pregnant at term and had low body size; the pregnancy was terminated through the abdominal route. A preanesthetic assessment was performed, which permitted to observe a history of genetic disease and previous admission for high blood pressure. The patient was allergic to dipyrone. Conclusions: Among patients with mucopolysaccharidosis, there is a high incidence of difficulty for ventilation and endotracheal intubation associated with cardiopulmonary insufficiency. Spinal involvement represents additional difficulties for anesthesiologists. Any elective surgery requires preoperative assessment of anesthesiologic risk factors and the availability of a spectrum of airway management equipment. Anesthetic managment should be performed by a team experienced in airway management(AU)

Protocol for germ lineage differentiation of primed human pluripotent stem cells using chemically defined, nutrient-balanced media.

Metabolism regulates cell fates during early mammalian cell differentiation. This protocol describes the steps for directed differentiation of primed human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into the three primary germ lineages-ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm-using a chemically defined nutrient-balanced media formulation. Although the transient removal and addition of specific nutrients does not occur in vivo during embryonic development, manipulation of nutrients in vitro provides an accessible method for evaluating how extracellular and intracellular metabolites help determine hPSC fate. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Lu et al. (2019) and Lu et al. (2022).

MiR-30a-5p Alters Epidermal Terminal Differentiation during Aging by Regulating BNIP3L/NIX-Dependent Mitophagy.

Chronological aging is characterized by an alteration in the genes' regulatory network. In human skin, epidermal keratinocytes fail to differentiate properly with aging, leading to the weakening of the epidermal function. MiR-30a is particularly overexpressed with epidermal aging, but the downstream molecular mechanisms are still uncovered. The aim of this study was to decipher the effects of miR-30a overexpression in the human epidermis, with a focus on keratinocyte differentiation. We formally identified the mitophagy receptor BNIP3L as a direct target of miR-30a. Using a 3D organotypic model of reconstructed human epidermis overexpressing miR-30a, we observed a strong reduction in BNIP3L expression in the granular layer. In human epidermal sections of skin biopsies from donors of different ages, we observed a similar pattern of BNIP3L decreasing with aging. Moreover, human primary keratinocytes undergoing differentiation in vitro also showed a decreased expression of BNIP3L with age, together with a retention of mitochondria. Moreover, aging is associated with altered mitochondrial metabolism in primary keratinocytes, including decreased ATP-linked respiration. Thus, miR-30a is a negative regulator of programmed mitophagy during keratinocytes terminal differentiation, impairing epidermal homeostasis with aging.

Glutamine-dependent signaling controls pluripotent stem cell fate.

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) can self-renew indefinitely or can be induced to differentiate. We previously showed that exogenous glutamine (Gln) withdrawal biased hPSC differentiation toward ectoderm and away from mesoderm. We revealed that, although all three germ lineages are capable of de novo Gln synthesis, only ectoderm generates sufficient Gln to sustain cell viability and differentiation, and this finding clarifies lineage fate restrictions under Gln withdrawal. Furthermore, we found that Gln acts as a signaling molecule for ectoderm that supersedes lineage-specifying cytokine induction. In contrast, Gln in mesoderm and endoderm is the preferred precursor of α-ketoglutarate without a direct signaling role. Our work raises a question about whether the nutrient environment functions directly in cell differentiation during development. Interestingly, transcriptome analysis of a gastrulation-stage human embryo shows that unique Gln enzyme-encoding gene expression patterns may also distinguish germ lineages in vivo. Together, our study suggests that intracellular Gln may help coordinate differentiation of the three germ layers.

Procedimiento anestésico - quirúrgico en un lactante con higrohematoma subdural / Anesthetic - surgical procedure in an infant with subdural hygrohematoma

Se describe el caso clínico de un lactante de 47 días de nacido, quien fue atendido en el Cuerpo de Guardia de Pediatría del Hospital Provincial General Docente Antonio Luaces Iraola de Ciego de Ávila, por presentar aumento de la circunferencia cefálica, irritabilidad y agitación. Los exámenes realizados mostraron signos de hipertensión endocraneana descompensada, secundaria a colección del espacio subdural izquierdo. Se eliminó el higroma subdural y la recuperación fue favorable en las primeras 36 horas; luego comenzó a convulsionar y apareció nuevamente el deterioro neurológico, por lo cual se decidió reintervenir. Se realizó inducción anestésica con tiopental sódico fentanilo y rocuronio. El paciente evolucionó sin complicaciones.

The case report of a 47 days infant is described. He was assisted in the children emergency room of Antonio Luaces Iraola Teaching General Provincial Hospital in Ciego de Ávila, due to an increase of the cephalic circumference, irritability and agitation. The exams showed signs of upset endocranial hypertension, secondary to collection of the left subdural space. The subdural hygroma was eliminated and the recovery was favorable in the first 36 hours; then a covulsion began and the neurological deterioration appeared again, reason why it was decided to operate once more. Anesthetic induction was carried out with fentanyl sodium thiopental and rocuronium. The patient had a favorable clinical course without complications.

Reintervention and Survival After Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter pulmonary valve (TPV) replacement (TPVR) has become the standard therapy for postoperative pulmonary outflow tract dysfunction in patients with a prosthetic conduit/valve, but there is limited information about risk factors for death or reintervention after this procedure. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate mid- and long-term outcomes after TPVR in a large multicenter cohort. METHODS: International registry focused on time-related outcomes after TPVR. RESULTS: Investigators submitted data for 2,476 patients who underwent TPVR and were followed up for 8,475 patient-years. A total of 95 patients died after TPVR, most commonly from heart failure (n = 24). The cumulative incidence of death was 8.9% (95% CI: 6.9%-11.5%) 8 years after TPVR. On multivariable analysis, age at TPVR (HR: 1.04 per year; 95% CI: 1.03-1.06 per year; P < 0.001), a prosthetic valve in other positions (HR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.2-3.7; P = 0.014), and an existing transvenous pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (HR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.3-3.4; P = 0.004) were associated with death. A total of 258 patients underwent TPV reintervention. At 8 years, the cumulative incidence of any TPV reintervention was 25.1% (95% CI: 21.8%-28.5%) and of surgical TPV reintervention was 14.4% (95% CI: 11.9%-17.2%). Risk factors for surgical reintervention included age (0.95 per year [95% CI: 0.93-0.97 per year]; P < 0.001), prior endocarditis (2.5 [95% CI: 1.4-4.3]; P = 0.001), TPVR into a stented bioprosthetic valve (1.7 [95% CI: 1.2-2.5]; P = 0.007), and postimplant gradient (1.4 per 10 mm Hg [95% CI: 1.2-1.7 per 10 mm Hg]: P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the conclusion that survival and freedom from reintervention or surgery after TPVR are generally comparable to outcomes of surgical conduit/valve replacement across a wide age range.

Electrocatalytic Behavior of Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and Extended Tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF) [FeFe] Hydrogenase Mimics.

TTF- and exTTF-containing [(µ-S2)Fe2(CO)6] complexes have been prepared by the photochemical reaction of TTF or exTTF and [(µ-S2)Fe2(CO)6]. These complexes are able to interact with PAHs. In the absence of air and in acid media an electrocatalytic dihydrogen evolution reaction (HER) occurs, similarly to analogous [(µ-S2)Fe2(CO)6] complexes. However, in the presence of air, the TTF and exTTF organic moieties strongly influence the electrochemistry of these systems. The reported data may be valuable in the design of [FeFe] hydrogenase mimics able to combine the HER properties of the [FeFe] cores with the unique TTF properties.